7 Causes Of Body Odor In Children

Body odour is very common in children and adults and this happens mostly due to sweat release. Children are usually more active than adults and thus they tend to sweat more. In children normally the smell of the sweat is less profound as compared to adults. However, in cases if you observe that your child has been smelling of body odour stink off recently you need to analyse it closely. Body odour in small children could happen due to a number of reasons.

Let Us Discuss The 7 Common Causes Of Body Odour In Children:

1. Poor Hygiene

Children are usually very active and therefore they tend to sweat a lot. This makes it very important for them to stay clean and hygienic. When children do not maintain healthy hygienic habits and do not clean themselves regularly there could be development of strong body odour. This could be reduced by maintaining basic hygiene.

2. Hormonal Imbalance

Some children suffer from hormonal imbalance; they reach sexual maturation earlier than normal. There is secretion of hormones like DHEA, which results in hormonal imbalance which could cause excessive body odour in children. This condition is also called adrenarche and is usually accompanied with excessive hair growth especially in the pubic area.

3. Early Puberty

Children usually attain puberty in their early teens and when they attain puberty the body odour becomes very strong and typical. In children who reach puberty early than normal due to a number of hormonal changes show the development of a typical body odour. This is not a cause of worry and it can have managed by maintaining hygiene and with the use of body fresheners or deodorants.

4. PKU

PKU is a term for a metabolic disorder called phenylketonuria; some of the kids have PKU right from their birth. In this condition the children do not produce phenylalanine hydroxylase, it is a chemical which breaks down the amino acid called phenylalanine. The absence of phenylalanine hydroxylase leads to production of a typical musty smell. The body fluids like sweat, urine as well as the ear wax and even the breath starts to develop a typical musty odour. This must be treated or else it results in skin disorders due to the build-up of phenylalanine hydroxylase in the skin.

5. TMAU

TMAU stands for trimethylaminuria; this is a very rare and uncommon disorder seen in children. TMAU occurs due to the abnormal production of Flavin which in turn is responsible for a strong body odour in children. It is pungent, smells like fish and is therefore called fish odour syndrome.

6. Hyperhidrosis

Due to some reasons like hormonal changes or puberty or infections some children develop a condition called hyperhidrosis which is nothing but excessive sweating. This condition has become common now-a-days in children due to bad eating habits. The child tends to sweat very high which results I release of typical body odour. The medical condition where body odour occurs due to hyperhidrosis is known as bromhidrosis or osmidrosis.

7. Underlying Unknown Medical Conditions

Some of the unknown and underlying medical conditions such as type 1 diabetes, kidney disorders or some kind of liver disorders result in development of body odour. Each condition has a typical odour due to the chemical disturbance that is causes in the body. Thus when your child starts to smell unusual without any known cause it is time to consult your doctor.